Tournaments · 6 min

Major Gomoku and Renju Tournaments Around the World

Gomoku is more than a casual game. Renju and gomoku have international tournament circuits, their own competition rules and a dedicated player community.

Renju World Championship

This is the most prestigious renju event, organised by the Renju International Federation. Players compete under renju rules, where Black is forbidden from certain shapes and White has a defensive advantage. Watching the top boards is a lesson in precision: a single careless move can create a forbidden shape, and a single accurate block can turn a losing position around.

Gomoku World Championship

Alongside renju, international gomoku events attract players from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Europe. Depending on the event, the format may use free-style gomoku or Swap2. The variety is useful for spectators, because it shows how the same basic game changes when the opening rules and the balance of colours change.

Regional events in Asia

Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan have strong renju scenes and regularly host national championships and international friendlies. Many leading players come up through these competitions, and the local circuits are where new talent is often first visible. Following regional events is a good way to see styles that do not always appear at the biggest international tournaments, and it gives local players a clear path from club play to the international stage.

Competition formats

Renju or free-style gomoku, depending on the event.
Swap2 is often used to balance the first-move advantage.
Thinking time may be limited per move or per game.
Results may be scored as wins, draws or tie-break points.

Where can you follow tournaments?

The Renju International Federation website, national renju federations and community YouTube channels are good starting points. Many events publish games, scoresheets and analysis after the final round, which makes it possible to study a game even if you could not watch it live. Following one event at a time is enough; the goal is to see how strong players make decisions, not to memorise every result.

From the tournament to your own board

You do not need a professional level to learn from tournament games. Watch how players create double threats, block a four and change the direction of an attack. Then try the same ideas on Caro Classic against the AI or in two-player mode. The patterns that look complicated on a tournament board are usually built from the same open threes and open fours you already know.